Joni Mitchell has covered Elton John‘s hit song ‘I’m Still Standing’ during the Gershwin Prize Tribute concert. Check it out now.
Sir Elton and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin were the recipients of the Library of Congress 2024 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, with the celebration concert taking place last month at DAR Revolution Hall in Washington D.C. and aired last night (Monday April 8) on PBS.
Mitchell – who was honoured with the award last year – took the stage to perform a rendition of the 1983 song alongside a backing band comprised of Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Blake Mills, and Davey Johnstone.
Congratulations to @eltonofficial for receiving the 2024 Gershwin Prize for most Popular Song, alongside Bernie Taupin!You won’t want to miss the tribute concert, premiering on @PBS stations nationwide tonight at 8 p.m. ET! pic.twitter.com/zxqwTNsAWu
— Joni Mitchell (@jonimitchell) April 8, 2024
Carlile introduced Mitchell, and told the crowd that ‘I’m Still Standing’ meant a lot to the ‘River’ singer, who survived a brain aneurysm 10 years ago. Mitchell also received the blessing of Sir Elton and Taupin to rework some of the lyrics in her cover. The rendition takes a jazzy route, swapping the song’s classing upbeat pop sound for a slower, bluesy tone.
Elsewhere, Metallica opened the show with a rendition of ‘Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’ from John’s 1973 double album ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’.
Ahead of the event, the band said they were “beyond excited and proud to have been invited to perform” at the “very special event” before describing John and Taupin as a “legendary songwriting team”.
Lennox covered ‘Border song’ John’s 1970 self-titled album and Carlile covered ‘Madman Across The Water’. Gabriels‘ Jacob Lusk took on ‘Bennie And The Jets’ (1973), with Charlie Puth covering ‘Something About The Way You Look Tonight’ from John’s 25th record ‘The Big Picture’ (1997).
John closed the night with a live rendition of his classic track ‘Your Song’ (1970), according to ITV News‘ Washington News Editor Jonathan Wald.
In other news, it was recently reported that John had completed a new album with Brandi Carlile. The update came after he revealed last November that he had finished a record with Taupin.
Elton John said this month that he was working on two musicals and was “open to any great ideas” regarding a third. Sir Elton, who has retired from touring aside from “the odd show”, played his last ever UK concert headlining Glastonbury 2023.
Mitchell, whose work recently returned to Spotify, gave other rare live performances at the Grammys 2024 and with headline gigs in Los Angeles this year.